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New York’s Congressional reps call for special prosecutor to take over Trump-Russia investigation

New York's Congressional reps slammed President Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, and called for a special prosecutor to take over the investigation into Russia's ties to the Trump campaign.

"The President of the United States is a dangerous con artist," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn), who gathered with other Democrats in the city's Congressional delegation at Foley Square Wednesday to denounce the firing.

"His actions threaten the very fabric of our democracy. We are in the midst of a constitutional crisis the likes of which have not been seen in this country since Richard Nixon and Watergate," he said.

The pols rejected the stated reasoning for the termination, a letter from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein alleging that Comey mishandled the probe into Hillary Clinton's email use, and charged Trump was instead trying to undermine the Russia investigation.

"Donald Trump is all of a sudden sympathetic to the plight of Hillary Clinton?" Jeffries said. "Are you kidding me? That is absurd. That is insane. That is an outright lie. Donald Trump is hiding something from the American people as it relates to Russia's interference in our election."

With Comey gone, only a special prosecutor can conduct a credible probe, the group said.

"There is no question that under Director Comey the FBI has been conducting a serious investigation into these matters, one that could result in criminal charges," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan), noting reports of grand jury subpoenas going out in the probe the same day Comey was canned.

"These facts taken together scream for an independent commission and a special, independent prosecutor to look into the entire Russian matter."

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens) said it would have been "appropriate" if Trump chose to fire Comey immediately upon taking office, but not in the midst of the investigation into his campaign.

"But who was the man's biggest fan, who was the director's biggest fan during the campaign? It was number 45," he said of the 45th President. "We need an independent prosecutor to come in, and to come in now."